Thom Stanton's blog

Deemed a "Traveling Actor's Tiny House" by HGTV's series, Tiny House Big Living, our episode's title provides an apt description for the purpose behind Seth's decision to build a tiny house. Well, Seth's need to travel for his job may not the original purpose for a tiny house, but enough reasoning to get rolling two years ago.

And for his part -- and ours -- we're glad this talented actor chose to pick up a hammer, strap on a newly purchased tool belt, and sweat through the rigors of building his own tiny home: A fully self-contained, road-ready, 18' tiny house on wheels with full off grid capabilities.

Despite the best efforts of reality TV shows to make "going tiny" look easy, the challenge remains for living legally in a tiny house. Thanks to the efforts of Andrew Morrison and his team -- as well as countless tiny house advocates, building officials, and zoning officials -- there are now building codes that can be applied to Tiny Houses.

Funny how a short article can illustrate so many way points along the road to success for a tiny house community. Read this article, then return here for our thoughts on how to build a tiny house village!

Looking over the Construction Guidelines for Tiny Homes in NC from Jackson County, North Carolina, those seeking to "go tiny" should be able to accomplish the same outlined in the brochure in most areas of the US. Much of what is outlined in the "tiny house brochure" PDF remains within specs of the International Residential Code (IRC) as well as Virginia's Uniform Statewide Building Code (VUSBC) and others throughout the US.

In case you haven't followed our news on the Timber Trail's page on Facebook, my wife and I are moving into an RV full-time. We've been moving toward this transition for over a year, and we're excited to say that we're on the cusp of this major life event to "go tiny!"

Tomorrow I will attend the first of two meetings to make and review proposals to Virginia's Statewide Uniform Building Code.

A Bit of Background

The state's building code borrows heavily from the most recent edition of the IBC (IRC 2015), though code proposals from Virginia are often used as precedent for introduction of future editions of the IRC. Tomorrow's meeting covers the first chapter, which doesn't seem to have anything of import to legalization of tiny houses (Scope and Administration).

Deemed a "Traveling Actor's Tiny House" by HGTV's series, Tiny House Big Living, our episode's title provides an apt description for the purpose behind Seth's decision to build a tiny house. Well, Seth's need to travel for his job may not the original purpose for a tiny house, but enough reasoning to get rolling two years ago.

And for his part -- and ours -- we're glad this talented actor chose to pick up a hammer, strap on a newly purchased tool belt, and sweat through the rigors of building his own tiny home: A fully self-contained, road-ready, 18' tiny house on wheels with full off grid capabilities.

A WORD FROM OUR CLIENTS

Thom gave a very coherent explanation of the state of affairs for tiny house legalization and how to move forward to a tiny house friendly future. There were beautiful distinctions made between the legal and illegal, safe and unsafe, taxed and untaxed, and other spectrums. I feel more confident in our ability to influence our future now with Thom's action and planning.

After my plans were conceptualized and down on paper, I needed help taking them to the next level. Thom from Timber Trails did a great job transforming them into 3D renderings. Having drawings in 3D made my tiny house design seem so much more realistic. (NOTE: Amanda used our 3D models to build her SIPs-based tiny house on wheels with a Tech Assist from our leading installation expert)

My planning session with Thom was very informative, and gave me the building blocks I need to move forward with my idea for a tiny mobile studio. As I start to look for a vehicle to modify, I feel much more confident about what to look for and where, as well as knowing that I have a practical and passionate professional to call on for advice if I get in over my head.

We have worked with Timber Trails on several successful projects. Thom's attention to detail and his concern for his clients is clear evidence that he is a second generation craftsman of high quality. I highly recommend Timber Trails for projects of all types within their construction expertise.

Thom's knowledge and support throughout the entire process of building my house has been invaluable. He has a keen insight as a designer, with great care for detail and execution. When it came time to start my build, Thom helped everything move like clockwork and has continued to support me during my DIY build. Without Thom and Timber Trails' team, I don't think I'd be nearly as close as I am now to my dream of living in a beautiful tiny home. Thanks!